I Should Be Queen Instead Of Her?
by meezzy
Summary: We all know that Henry was spying on Jane when she met the Imperial Ambassador for the first time. What if he was listening the the conversation she had with her father and brother after he offered to serve her?
1. Prologue

_Imagine what it would mean for us as a family, if he did grow to love her._

He was no fool. He knew that his attentions to a lady would bring about great honors to said lady's family. Why, Anne was the clearest example. At the height of his love for her, he had sought not only to raise her, but also her father and brother along with her. He had wanted his love and his future Queen to have relatives worth boasting about. Nobody would have cause to doubt that his interest in Anne had been sincere and pure and that he intended to wed her when he took the steps of ennobling her father, brother and herself. He had planned to do the same for the Seymours, but after hearing that they were actually expecting it…

_I am certain there are _some_ at court who would like to see the Queen replaced._

Their words were buzzing in his head like the insistent flies that would follow him when he had just mounted his horse and he closed his eyes to shut them out. His hands instinctively went to the side of his head as he tried to clear his troubled thoughts.

He knew it was true, of course. Anne had never been a popular figure; truly, she was not as beloved as Katherine. It was her own fault, really. She often spoke without thinking and she was never good at hiding her displeasure. He had told her many times that as the Queen of England, she had to shut her eyes and endure whatever came her way. It was not befitting for a lady of her rank to be prone to jealous fits and making a scene. It tarnished her sacred position, one which he had gone through so much trouble to secure for her.

_Are you saying that I should be Queen instead of her?_

As Jane had said that, sweet, pure, Jane, her voice had been full of disbelief and amazement. He had been relieved. His sweetheart truly was not ambitious and had no thought of taking Anne's place, no matter how easy it would have been. Given Anne's unpopularity and the steady increase of her enemies at court, he was sure that if he sought to put her aside, nobody would speak up for her. She would be utterly abandoned. Anne only had her bed today because he had chosen to give it to her. If he willed, if he found a more suitable lady to be called his Queen – someone gentle and demure and capable of bearing sons, he could simply take away what he had given her and nobody could stop him. Nobody would even try to stop him.

_Would you like to be?_

This nearly made him jump down from his hiding place and show himself. How dare that Seymour ask such a question? It was not for him to simply pose that question as if he knew the heart and mind of his Sovereign. It was not Seymour's place to assume so arrogantly that Anne would be put away. True, he had offered to serve Jane, but that was all it was – a simple offer, a flirtation, a part of courtly love. At this moment, he could not – he would not admit to himself that the Seymours were right. That he did want Jane to be Queen instead of Anne. All he felt was indignation that anyone would dare to think so lowly of him, as if the issue of who would be Queen was just something that depended on his whims and fancies and not a matter of state, something that affected the whole of England.

However, what Jane said next broke his heart. She had given her modest laugh that he had grown to love – so unlike Anne's full, seductive one – and she had said the one word that he wished for her to say to him when he had made a formal proposal but not now, not so soon, not when it proved to him that she did in fact have the crown in her sight.

_Yes. _


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: A big 'Thank You!' to **Redluna**,** the dark euphie**, **Guest**, **ValueMyHeart**,** EugeniaVictoria**, **CocoRocks**,** Lily Anne Rose** and **ReganX** for your reviews. They mean a lot to me. Thanks also to those who added this little story to your favorite/follow list. I really did not expect such a reception to this little plot bunny.

* * *

"Tell me, Sir Henry. Are you engaged yet to Lady Margaret?" Henry leaned back into his heavy, carved chair after asking his old friend that question.

After hearing that conversation between the Seymours, he was not in the best mood. However, he was determined to put it behind him and think it through later. After all, he had reasoned, the Seymours were nothing. They had no allies or friends and were fully dependant on his good favor – his good favor upon Jane which he was reconsidering.

"No, Your Majesty. I have not so far asked for her hand," replied Sir Henry Norris, moving a piece forward on the chess board.

"Well, for God's sake man. She's young. She… " at this point, Henry paused.

He remembered the short period of time when Lady Margaret, or Madge as she had insisted to be called, had been his mistress. She was a pleasant, agreeable girl, not particularly captivating or witty but even through their brief courtship, he could see that she would make an obedient wife. A bit dull, perhaps, but she would be proper and discreet. He could not imagine Madge throwing fits or demanding to know where her husband went, which was just as well. It was never proper for a wife to be so arrogant to presume that she could control her husband – the man she promised in her wedding vows to always honor as her lord and master.

"_Where are you going?" she had strode out of the castle and into the courtyard as if she owned the place and put herself right next to him, obstructing him from mounting his horse._

"_Out." he replied shortly, his tone curt and leaving no room for argument or comment. She should have taken the chance and left him but she never did have any sense whatsoever, always determined in getting her way and giving in to no man. Her strong spirit had formerly enticed him but was now just cumbersome. _

"_Where?" she asked, her tone light. But he could hear the hardness in her voice. She would make a scene and no doubt had no qualms about embarrassing him. _

"_Get back inside," he said, lightly shoving her aside. For a moment, he thought that she would leave, as an obedient wife would, but she persisted._

"_Where are you going? I want to know." She positioned herself so that her eyes which were once so captivating to him seemed to hook deep into his soul, not letting go. He tore his gaze away from them. It was easier now for him to do so then it was in the past when she had him practically a slave to her beautiful, blue eyes._

"_It is none of your business," he said coldly, unable to believe that she would try shame him by deliberately flouting his expressed wishes in public. He laid his hand firmly on her shoulder and pushed her harder towards the castle. "It is my pleasure that you go back _now_." He felt a tinge of guilt as she stumbled. What if he had hurt her? However, that brief sense of guilt was quickly extinguished. It was a wife's duty to bow to the wishes of her husband and he could not be faulted for using force if she insisted in disobeying him._

"_Majesty," she replied, her tone deferral but her curtsy was mocking him and so was her face. There was not a hint that she respected him as her Sovereign. Her whole manner spoke of a woman far too confident and pleased with her lot in life until she had forgotten who had raised her to those heights to begin with._

_He watched her leave, her stride graceful despite her anger, her dark curls streaming down her back. Was it only a short while ago when he deeply loved everything about her, from her penetrating eyes to her slender neck? Now everything about her displeased him, from her total disrespect towards his exalted state over her to her inability to shut her mouth and endure. _

_His mood soured due to her impertinence and he turned away from her not even taking the time to make sure she had followed his instructions to return to the castle._

"Your Majesty?" at Norris' concerned tone, Henry was brought back to his chess game. He pursed his lips in displeasure. _Damn her_. She would not leave him alone even in his thoughts. Anne, for all her faults, captivated him like no other. And now she was with child. His child. There was the possibility that she would finally fulfill her promise and bear him a son. If she did, he would gladly pardon her of her past offences towards him - her Lord, Master and King. If she did not, however... If (God forbid) she miscarried the child or it was just another girl... Henry felt a tight knot of displeasure in his stomach.

Henry was aware of Norris staring at him with a tinge of worry on his face when he failed to say anything. "Sir Henry. I was just thinking of... certain matters." Henry had no intention of revealing to Norris his most private and personal thoughts. He tightened his lips and forced his mind back to what they were discussing before _that woman _had managed to cast her spell over him and utterly consume his thoughts. Madge. They were talking about Madge.

"You know what, Sir Henry? You're courting a young lady. And I'm…" at this, Henry paused. Was he courting Jane? Or was she ensnaring him? _They would like to see the Queen replaced… I should be Queen instead of her?_

Norris was looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to finish his sentence. But Henry could not. For the seed of an idea was forming in his mind.

_How much would the Lady Jane do to be Queen?_

* * *

A/N: So here it is! The first chapter. I work under the assumption that although Jane might penetrate Henry's thoughts now and then, he is still very much obsessed with Anne. This fic is not going to end up with Henry/Jane, in case you haven't guessed. Do leave a review or send me a PM!


End file.
